An Evening Visa Run

[robbiecia]

Hi Guys

Just want to post my experience last night for a quick visa run.

Buy in advance air asia.....Bangkok to KL...you will find that air asia wont sell you a return when the turn around is less than 90 minutes..........simple answer...........buy two one way tickets.

If you are quick off the aircraft its a short walk to immigration where there are NO lines!!!!!!!!(oh how so different from Bangkok)

After stamping in to Malaysia, its then a short walk to air asia check in. I had 35 minutes to do the turn around, it took me only 10 minutes....back through immigration, stamp out of malaysia, another short wait and back on the flight to Bangkok.

The whole thing took 5 hours

One extra note, i understood that you needed an onward ticket in order to fly to Thailand one-way without a visa, so i had one to show (leaving within 30 days)...but wasnt asked to show at check-in or at Bangkok immigration.

good luck

[learndutchbkk]

I guessthat you first have to take the bustrip or taxi to kl centre or is the embassy in the airport area?

Hi Guys

Just want to post my experience last night for a quick visa run.

Buy in advance air asia.....Bangkok to KL...you will find that air asia wont sell you a return when the turn around is less than 90 minutes..........simple answer...........buy two one way tickets.

If you are quick off the aircraft its a short walk to immigration where there are NO lines!!!!!!!!(oh how so different from Bangkok)

After stamping in to Malaysia, its then a short walk to air asia check in. I had 35 minutes to do the turn around, it took me only 10 minutes....back through immigration, stamp out of malaysia, another short wait and back on the flight to Bangkok.

The whole thing took 5 hours

One extra note, i understood that you needed an onward ticket in order to fly to Thailand one-way without a visa, so i had one to show (leaving within 30 days)...but wasnt asked to show at check-in or at Bangkok immigration.

good luck

[jonniebkk]

I guessthat you first have to take the bustrip or taxi to kl centre or is the embassy in the airport area?

i think the op was clear in that he was just doing a turn-around trip (not even leaving the airport) just leaving and then returning to LOS same day sans visa (coming back on a 30-day entry stamp).

PS: Personally, if I were doing this run, would fly to Singapore. Great airport (also see and experience new T3), good shopping and eats. Spend half the day there and then do an early evening return to Bangers.

The low cost carrier terminal in KUL is the pits!! Most of the time, way overcroded, hardly any places to sitdown or relax, a only 2-3 crappy and crowded food outlets. Having to spend any time there is a royal pain in the #rs#.

Edited January 24, 2008 by jonniebkk

[robbiecia]

Yes you are right........its a crummy airport but for a quick turn around its a bit nearer and cheaper than singapore.........i did look at singapore flights but wasnt sure on the turn around time there. At KL immigration and check in are about 100 meters from each other... the flight arrived at 9pm and left at 10 20 pm

[torrenova]

If you miss your flight as you arrive late or they have already closed the gates then you are stuffed, particularly if that was the last plane that evening. Whilst I take on board the fact that it can be done, I think it is foolish when you can fly earlier or even split carriers to give you greater flexibility and be sure that you can return on your alloted day. Think about the extra expense and wasted time if you have to overnight in some town with no advance reservation, say like Singapore at Chinese New Year !

[d44]

I run to KL but always stay a night or 2 at genting.

Cost of transport and accommodation don't differ that much from thailand, so why not turn it into a short holiday?

http://www.genting.com.my/

[robbiecia]

I think that if the flight arrives late.............the check in time will be extended later. Gates close 45 minutes before departure.

Interesting that check in and Thai immigration werent bothered about seeing an onward ticket. I was flying into Thailand without a visa and on a one way ticket

[jonniebkk]

Interesting that check in and Thai immigration werent bothered about seeing an onward ticket. I was flying into Thailand without a visa and on a one way ticket

The onward ticket requirement is very hit and miss in Thailand and around SE Asia. I have been going in and out for 10 years, sometimes with visas, many more times without, and have never been asked to show an onward ticket at Thai immigration.

The only time was when I was boarding a PAL flight from Manila to Thailand. I said I lived in Thailand and pointed to an old Thai visa in the passport and said it was my "residency visa" and they allowed me on the flight!

[thaibkk]

Hi Guys

Just want to post my experience last night for a quick visa run.

Buy in advance air asia.....Bangkok to KL...you will find that air asia wont sell you a return when the turn around is less than 90 minutes..........simple answer...........buy two one way tickets.

If you are quick off the aircraft its a short walk to immigration where there are NO lines!!!!!!!!(oh how so different from Bangkok)

After stamping in to Malaysia, its then a short walk to air asia check in. I had 35 minutes to do the turn around, it took me only 10 minutes....back through immigration, stamp out of malaysia, another short wait and back on the flight to Bangkok.

The whole thing took 5 hours

One extra note, i understood that you needed an onward ticket in order to fly to Thailand one-way without a visa, so i had one to show (leaving within 30 days)...but wasnt asked to show at check-in or at Bangkok immigration.

good luck

can I ask you what your total cost where?

will have to face the run also in a near future

the combodia border run seems not really an attractive option

so would also prefer to fly ...

is it possible to leave in the morning and come back in the afternoon or evening?

i have multiple entrty type o visa , so just need that stamp out en in another country (which i find pretty stupid and a waiste of money to do that personally)

[siam2007]

I think that if the flight arrives late.............the check in time will be extended later. Gates close 45 minutes before departure.

Interesting that check in and Thai immigration werent bothered about seeing an onward ticket. I was flying into Thailand without a visa and on a one way ticket

check-in-times at KUL LCCT close EXACTLY 45 minutes prior to departure, and NO SECOND LATER. if you arrive there 43 before scheduled departure time, the check-in will be CLOSED, and ur return-ticket is forfeited

what the OP did was extremely risky and nobody with a brain should ever do the same again, considering the frequent delays in Asian Air-Traffic (that applies both for no-frills-airlines as well as the big carriers)

[jonniebkk]

can I ask you what your total cost where?

Just check Air Asia's website for cost and flight times. Return fares from Bangkok run from B3000-7000. If you take a morning flight, a mid-afternoon return should be fine. The flight is 2 hours 2 minutes. Like others have said, don't cut it too close on the return as AA flights often run late and you may be dalayed in leaving Bangkok.

[Guest]

Was at Suvanabhumi last week. ALL Air Asia flights were delayed the day I was there.

[robbiecia]

i bought my two one-way tickets about a month before, total cost was about 3000 baht. from my experience the check in desk will close 45mins before departure time.........so if the flight is late getting there, i think you will find the check in desk will stay open later. for me the turn around time was only 10 minutes.

Just posting because i think this is a viable option to long bus rides and dirty border crossings in order to get your stamp. Add to that, the fact that you have to mess around with cambodian or lao visas.......the costs for what i did arent much more than going by road to a border.

generally find you get a little more respect from the airport immigration guys, compared to those that operate in the provinces.

[sniffdog]

1 - Going to the airport - 1 hour

2 - flight time return - 4.5 hours

3 - Waiting time - 1hour (at least)

Off the plane to immigration, then again out and to the plane ...

I think spending 8 hours on a Cambodia Jack Golf trip is most more relaxing and cheaper too!

[jstumbo]

Was at Suvanabhumi last week. ALL Air Asia flights were delayed the day I was there.

I don't think I have ever been on an Air Asia flight that was not at least 30 minutes late in leaving.

[permanent_disorder]

PS: Personally, if I were doing this run, would fly to Singapore. Great airport (also see and experience new T3), good shopping and eats. Spend half the day there and then do an early evening return to Bangers.

me too.

if you don't have the time to spend one night out of town, a half day in singapore is fun. nice airport. free internet, fee wi-fi, lot of relaxing areas, coffee, food.

if you have a ticket out on the same day, or in less then 24 h, go to the Tourist Welcome Center in arrival hall. they have a lot of information, can give helpful answers, speak a lot of languages, fluent. you can get a free sight-seeing tour, free MRT -ticket, discount coupons for your shopping, coupons for a free shower at rainforest lounge in the airport. amazing, i was hoping suvarnabhumi would become something like this, but not.

[JonnieB]

i was hoping suvarnabhumi would become something like this, but not.

They certainly had the chance to make a showplace project to impress the world...unfortunately the Thai greed factor destroyed that hope...sh#t...they can't even keep the runway lights working properly (of course because [corrupt] contract for lights calls for using the single supplier [who paid enough bakkish] for the contract and who apparently can't keep the right bulbs in stock).

Every time I use the airport (every few months) the place looks worse...it is literally falling apart before our eyes!

[zeusbheld]

I guessthat you first have to take the bustrip or taxi to kl centre or is the embassy in the airport area?

i think the op was clear in that he was just doing a turn-around trip (not even leaving the airport) just leaving and then returning to LOS same day sans visa (coming back on a 30-day entry stamp).

PS: Personally, if I were doing this run, would fly to Singapore. Great airport (also see and experience new T3), good shopping and eats. Spend half the day there and then do an early evening return to Bangers.

The low cost carrier terminal in KUL is the pits!! Most of the time, way overcroded, hardly any places to sitdown or relax, a only 2-3 crappy and crowded food outlets. Having to spend any time there is a royal pain in the #rs#.

agree, and there are usually many cheap flights to s'pore. my next border hop may be there if i dont have time for a real trip.